Ligue 1 Goalkeeper Stopped From Playing For Madagascar Against Super Eagles

The invitation handed to Troyes goalkeeper Zacharie Boucher to the Madagascar squad for the upcoming AFCON qualifiers games against Nigeria and Tanzania respectively has been withdrawn by the football association, OwnGoalNigeria.com reports.

Two days after being selected for the first time for the Malagasy national team for both matches in the 2027 AFCON qualifiers, The Troyes goalkeeper was ultimately dropped because of a 2018 interview in which the goalkeeper said he “had never been Malagasy.

The 34-year-old goalkeeper’s exclusion stems from a 2018 interview, when former Madagascar coach Nicolas Dupuis expressed interest in the then 26-year-old player, Zacharie Boucher bluntly dismissed the prospect: “I’m French. I’ve never been Malagasy. I don’t know why all this has come out like that. As far as I’m concerned, there’s nothing to it. Just look at my passport. It says ‘French’ on it. If the coach calls me, it’s a no. Besides, administratively, I can’t even play. I’m not Malagasy.”

Eight years later, the Troyes player is paying a heavy price for these statements and at his age his only hope of senior international football is no longer on the table.